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IBM will spend $1.5 billion to improve computer security
IBM’s security initiative would double IBM’s security spending; company says its IT security is becoming more difficult because of collaborative business models, sophisticated criminal attacks, and increasingly complex infrastructures
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Rumors of al Qaeda cyber attack to be launched 11 November
News report says that Bin Laden’s cyber legions are retaliating against Western surveillance programs; among the targets: Western, Jewish, Israeli, Muslim apostate, and Shiite Web sites
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NIST invites comments on important FISMA-related document
NIST releases cybersecurity framework document for public comment; when finalized, it will become NIST’s flagship FISMA-related document
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Colorado Springs lobbying for AF Cyber Command to move there
Colorado, California, Nebraska, and Louisiana compete for being home to the Air Force’s new Cyber Command
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Annual report gives so-so grades to IT security on college campuses
CDW Government released the results of its third annual report card on campus IT security; the grades are mostly Cs — gentleman’s Cs at that
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SMBs ill-prepared to thwart cybercrime
Small and medium-size businesses account for a large portion of the economies of advanced countries, but a recent Webroot report says SMBs have minimal IT staffs and do not apprciate the risks
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New, detailed study of identity theft
An academic center for identity management issues a study which benefits from the U.S. Secret Service allowing, for the first time, review of its closed case files on identity theft and fraud
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U.S. Air Force moves forward cyber warfare
Fly and fight in cyberspace: U.S. Air Force aims to achieve “global decision superiority” by integrating warfighting command and control systems
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Following contractor's loss of laptops, TSA now requires encryption
Contractors for TSA must now encrypt all data on their computers; order issued after loss of laptops holding information on nearly 4,000 hazmat drivers
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New, bipartisan identity theft and cyber crime bill proposed
As cyber crime and identity theft increase, two veteran legislators, who have collaborated in the past on data privace issues, propose tough new measures to counter cyber malfeasance
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China emerges in Asian security solutions market
China now accounts for 22 percent of the total security solutions revenues in Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan); by 2011 it will account for 30 percent
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Criticism notwithstanding, FCC stands pat on 700 MHz auction rules
FCC stands on open-access and build-out requirements for 24 Jaunary 700 MHz auction; auction will require the winner to build a national network to public safety specifications
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A first: Quantum cryptography secures ballots in Swiss election
Quantum cryptograhpy finds real-world application in guaranteeing integrity of 21 October ballot in the canton of Geneva
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SCADA protection should remain in private hands
Critics say that DHS’s plan to join with NSA to take the lead in protecting SCADA not only raises privacy concerns, but would be ineffective
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Security experts warn of race to the bottom on PCI certs
Did you know that an organization has no legal responsibility to fix a vulnerability? Current laws stipulate the requirement that people be informed when data is breached, but there is nothing forcing a company to fix something before it leads to data being compromised
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The long view
White supremacist propaganda and events soared in 2018
White supremacists dramatically stepped up their propaganda efforts targeting neighborhoods and campuses in 2018, far exceeding any previous annual distribution count for the United States and showing how these extremist groups are finding ways to share hateful messages while hiding the identity of individual members.
Russian trolls, bots spread false vaccine information on Twitter
A study found that Russian trolls and bots have been spreading false information about vaccination, in support of the anti-vaccination movement. The false information was generated by propaganda and disinformation specialists at the Kremlin-affiliated, St. Petersburg-based IRA. The Kremlin employed IRA to conduct a broad social media disinformation campaign to sow discord and deepen divisions in the United States, and help Donald Trump win the 2016 presidential election.
Securing the “internet of things” in the quantum age
Quantum computers can in principle execute calculations that today are practically impossible for classical computers. Bringing quantum computers online and to market could one day enable advances in medical research, drug discovery, and other applications. But there’s a catch: If hackers also have access to quantum computers, they could potentially break through the powerful encryption schemes that currently protect data exchanged between devices.
A new world for hackers: Acoustic side-channel attack
During the DNA synthesis process in a laboratory, recordings can be made of the subtle, telltale noises made by synthesis machines. And those captured sounds can be used to reverse-engineer valuable, custom-designed genetic materials used in pharmaceuticals, agriculture and other bioengineering fields.